Monthly Archives: November 2025

Weekend link dump for November 30

Posted on November 30, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

“This Is All John Roberts’ Fault“. “You need to be a true degenerate for Las Vegas to break your heart.” “The Five Eyes national security alliance of the U.S., U.K., Canada, New Zealand, and Australia had been intimate and formidable … Continue reading →

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On not endorsing Whitmire

Posted on November 30, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is going to make for a fun debate. And by “fun”, I mean the sort of thing that will make me want to gouge out an eyeball or two. The Harris County Democratic Party will vote on a resolution … Continue reading →

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Drink that THC while you still can

Posted on November 30, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The clock is ticking. Houston saw a boom in drinks infused with THC over the past several years, with bars and restaurants seizing on the products as an alternative for people who don’t drink alcohol. Now that trend might be … Continue reading →

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Protection racket deadline passes

Posted on November 29, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Still no word from UT. Last month, the Trump administration gave the University of Texas at Austin and a handful of other universities until Nov. 21 to decide whether they would agree to a series of policy changes in exchange … Continue reading →

Posted in National news, School days | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

San Antonio considers moving its elections to November

Posted on November 29, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

They should! San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones has asked City Council to move the city’s municipal elections from May to November, a move state lawmakers set the stage for earlier this year. The change would save taxpayers $1 million, … Continue reading →

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Texas Association of Business leader sued for sexual harassment

Posted on November 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Ugly stuff. An unidentified woman accused Glenn Hamer, president and CEO of the Texas Association of Business, of sexually harassing and assaulting her before retaliating against her through his perch atop the powerful business group when she rejected his overtures, … Continue reading →

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Taking care of next summer’s campers

Posted on November 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib raises some important points. Texas officials are requiring youth camps to have weather alert systems, mandated emergency preparedness plans, and various communication methods to help children and their families feel safe when they return this summer. But one thing is … Continue reading →

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Thanksgiving video break: Age restrictions can’t stop me

Posted on November 27, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

You may notice something funny about the familiar video embedded below: You’ll have to click the link to watch it on YouTube if you want that comforting ritual of “Alice’s Restaurant” this year. I’m sure someone has figured out a … Continue reading →

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Redistricting plaintiffs ask SCOTUS to put the old map back in

Posted on November 26, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. The original civil rights groups who challenged Texas’ new gerrymandered maps back in August of this year have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate a lower court ruling that would temporarily block the use of the redistricted … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Salinas for the runoff

Posted on November 26, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Sometimes the Chronicle makes an endorsement in a race where there may be a runoff and their preferred candidate doesn’t make the cut. They then get to have a do-over for the overtime period. That’s what happened in the Houston … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of November 24

Posted on November 26, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance has been tasting cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie for weeks now as it brings you this holiday-inflected roundup. Off the Kuff had multiple posts about the redistricting ruling. SocraticGadfly read about Joaquin Castro’s latest excuse for … Continue reading →

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A closer look at the Cy-Fair ISD elections

Posted on November 25, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good stuff. When Lesley Guilmart’s cellphone rang Wednesday afternoon, she almost didn’t answer the unknown number. “I’ve been getting interesting calls from folks since last week’s win,” said Guilmart, who on Nov. 4 was elected to the Cy-Fair ISD Board … Continue reading →

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The tariff effect on restaurants

Posted on November 25, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Short answer: They’re not good. Nearly half of all Texas restaurants saw their revenues decrease over the last quarter, according to a new report from the Texas Restaurant Association. The vast majority — almost nine out of 10 — say … Continue reading →

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Another lawsuit filed against Texas’ anti-ESG law

Posted on November 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This one by religious groups. Faith-oriented nonprofits are suing Attorney General Ken Paxton in federal court over a new state law they argue infringes on their ability to make investment decisions that are grounded in their values and religious beliefs. … Continue reading →

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Paxton’s small-county judge shopping

Posted on November 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I’m glad someone noticed. Roblox Corp. will face off against Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) in King County, Texas — home to about 265 people and the latest unconventional venue choice for the Lone Star state’s top lawyer. The Nov. … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for November 23

Posted on November 23, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

“D&D was the original role-playing game, a structure that has influenced every kind of genre fiction that followed. The game is more popular than ever, reaching far beyond its original audience of midwestern misfits and bookish nerds. And for some … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 2 Comments

Another lawsuit filed against a constitutional amendment election

Posted on November 23, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Dan Patrick is mad about it. The state’s new $3 billion dementia research fund has been blocked temporarily by a trio of voters who claim voting machines used in this month’s election are faulty. The plaintiffs — Shannon Huggins, Lars … Continue reading →

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The rainbow crosswalk ban comes for student artwork

Posted on November 23, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Every day and in every way, this gets dumber and dumber. Two crosswalks painted by students in Bedford will be removed this month, in line with a new Texas state policy banning “non-standard surface markings, signage, and signals that do not directly support … Continue reading →

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Paxton defends keeping his divorce records sealed

Posted on November 23, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

What else would you expect him to do? Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wants the records in his divorce case to remain private. In a court filing earlier this week, Paxton’s lawyer argued that the case records should remain sealed because the media … Continue reading →

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SCOTUS puts temporary pause on redistricting ruling

Posted on November 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is just until they can make a ruling. Texas is back to using its 2025 congressional map, at least temporarily, after Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito granted the state’s request to pause a court ruling that would have required … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

CAIR sues Abbott over “terrorism” designation

Posted on November 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good, though of course that they have to do this is an outrage. Two Texas chapters for the Center on American-Islamic Relations sued Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton in federal court Thursday after the governor designated the … Continue reading →

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Waymo coming to Houston, Zoox doing demos in San Francisco

Posted on November 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

A twofer here, beginning with the local news. You may have spotted Waymo’s self-driving cars across Houston since the company began testing in the city earlier this year. Now, the autonomous ride-hailing service is preparing to take off the training … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Using AI to screen school library books

Posted on November 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Oh for crying out loud. Pearland school board members knew they couldn’t personally vet hundreds of books for “indecent” or “profane” content prohibited under a new state law. So when they met this fall to consider a 1,400-title purchase list, … Continue reading →

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Redistricting ruling roundup

Posted on November 21, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s that time again… We’ll start with the big one. A decision on Texas’ congressional map now before the U.S. Supreme Court could ultimately decide which party will hold control of the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2026 midterm … Continue reading →

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Scooter curfew enacted

Posted on November 21, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I guess I’m mostly OK with this. The Houston City Council voted Wednesday to establish a citywide curfew on electric scooter use and rentals between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m., citing what officials called a growing public safety risk downtown. … Continue reading →

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Still no replacement County Attorney

Posted on November 21, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Not yet, but I expect it will happen soon. Commissioners failed to appoint someone to fill Christian Menefee’s seat Thursday, leaving the future of the county attorney’s office uncertain. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo scheduled a special session for Thursday … Continue reading →

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So who might be running for what now?

Posted on November 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a scramble going on, that’s for sure. In August, when the Texas Legislature passed a new congressional map intended to yield five additional seats for the GOP, a mass of Republicans stepped forward to run in the newly gerrymandered … Continue reading →

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Former Alamo Trust President sues over her ouster

Posted on November 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good for her. Kate Rogers, the former president of the Alamo Trust which manages San Antonio’s historic site, sued Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham and the trust’s board Monday, weeks after she resigned under pressure from conservative … Continue reading →

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The high cost of Thanksgiving this year

Posted on November 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

You know who to thank for that. Americans will likely face higher prices on items for their Thanksgiving dinners this year. Turkey, typically the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving meal, will be one of the biggest sticker shocks for consumers. Wholesale … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of November 17

Posted on November 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is ready for even more Jeffrey Epstein document dumps as it brings you this week’s roundup. Off the Kuff is amused by an effort to hold Ken Paxton to the same legal standard as Letitia James. … Continue reading →

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Federal court blocks Texas mid-decade gerrymander

Posted on November 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. Texas cannot use its new congressional map for the 2026 election and will instead need to stick with the lines passed in 2021, a three-judge panel ruled Tuesday. The decision is a major blow for Republicans, in Texas and … Continue reading →

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Another ruling against the Ten Commandments law

Posted on November 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Two for two so far. A federal judge sided with 15 Texas families suing public school districts — including Conroe ISD — to stop the Ten Commandments from being displayed in classrooms, saying the requirement interferes with their religious freedoms. … Continue reading →

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UT hasn’t decided on that protection racket yet

Posted on November 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Choose wisely. And quickly. The University of Texas at Austin hasn’t said whether it will sign an agreement with the Trump administration that would tie preferential access to federal funding to a series of campus policy changes, even as other … Continue reading →

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CD18 runoff set for January 31

Posted on November 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Mark your calendars. Gov. Greg Abbott has set Jan. 31 as the date of the special election runoff for Texas’ 18th Congressional District, meaning the Houston-based seat will remain vacant for over two more months. Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee … Continue reading →

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